


Blue

by mystrasleoxses



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Spoilers, at first, for the whole game, pre-game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 04:17:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14180397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystrasleoxses/pseuds/mystrasleoxses
Summary: Is there really someone out there for everyone? Is there really someone that you’re supposed to give everything up for? Your hopes, your dreams, and everything in between? Maybe so.





	1. Chapter 1

Kaede Akamatsu. Radiant, nihilistic, and sometimes scary to deal with. Her soft blonde hair, plain purple eyes, and blank expression is what made her so _damn beautiful_. She was just so captivating. When Tsumugi fell, she fell hard and fast. Tsumugi and Kaede had been friends for years before Tsumugi realized she had been in love. It was little things; small glances in the hallways, compliments on her writing, friendly affection. All of those things made Tsumugi develop feelings for her best friend, but it felt strange, like something straight from a manga, or a fanfiction. It took so long for Tsumugi to accept her feelings, and months after for Tsumugi to confess.  


It was a bad night for both of them, really. Tsumugi had been having trouble with her family, and had nowhere else to go. Kaede was sad and needed someone to be there with her. So, Tsumugi ended up staying with her. They stayed in Kaede’s room, and spent most of the night talking about whatever. However, in the midst of Kaede venting about her problems, Tsumugi slipped up.  


“It just sucks, I guess. Living with the fact that I’m worthless along with everyone else,” Kaede said. “I just want someone to love me, or to have something to live for, y’know.”  


Tsumugi’s eyes widened. She loved Kaede, more than anything else actually. The fact that the one she loved was so down on herself hurt, and the fact that she felt like she couldn’t do anything made it worse. _Maybe I can do something_ , she thought. The thought of telling Kaede how she felt was scary. Tsumugi was boring and she felt like she was unlovable. There’s no way Kaede felt the same way. She weighed the thought some more, before finally deciding to do what she felt was right.  


“Kaede,” Tsumugi started, not making eye contact. “I know how you feel. I don’t have much to live for either, all I have going for me is my writing, and even then I’m not the best at it. But,” she paused. _What am I doing?_ , she thought.  


“But?” Kaede questioned.  


“Ah…” Tsumugi sighed, “you have a lot going for you. You’re practically a god at the piano, you’re beautiful, smart…” She stopped again. Why couldnt she tell her?  


“Kaede,” she took the other girls hand, still avoiding eye contact. “I love you. I have for months now. You mean everything to me, and I don’t want you to feel like this anymore. In my eyes, you’re perfect! You’re beautiful, and smart, and I just can’t get you out of my mind. I really don’t know why I’m telling you this, actually. I-“  


She was cut off by a muffled cry.  


“K-Kaede?” The guilt washed over Tsumugi like a tidal wave. Kaede didn’t feel the same way, more than likely, and now she burdened her with a confession because Tsumugi thought it would help. She was so, _so_ stupid.  


But, then she looked over.  
Kaede’s blank expression had changed into a radiant smile, tears streaming down her face.  


“Tsumugi, n-no one is ever as kind to me as you,” she managed to choke out, “you’re always the one there for me, you make me feel happier than you realize. I don’t like feeling empty, Tsumugi. But with you, I always feel something. I-I love you, and I’m glad you feel the same.”  


Tsumugi was shocked. Kaede was usually quiet about how she actually felt, and never showed much emotion. Her smile and look of genuine happiness was a rare gift that Tsumugi would cherish for years to come.  


“…Y-you love me?” was all Tsumugi could get out.  


Kaede nodded, and took Tsumugi’s hand.  


_“I do.”_  


—  


From then on, they had each other. Tsumugi’s family had no effect on her anymore. All the arguing, all the yelling, the insults, they didn’t mean anything to her anymore. She knew someone loved her, and that’s all that mattered.  


One night, 2 years later, is when everything started to change.  
They recently started tuning into a reality show called Danganronpa.  


Tsumugi usually didn’t like reality shows, she tended to stick to anime and dramas. Reality shows felt too staged and didn’t have much appeal. But, Danganronpa was different. The way the characters acted was so real, and their emotions were so genuine. It was intriguing, and Tsumugi was hooked. Eventually, she consumed all 49 seasons of Danganronpa, and the 50th was just ending.  


Tsumugi and Kaede were watching the season finale together. The protagonist of this season just wrapped up the final case, and the credits were rolling.  
“The next season is supposed to be special!” Kaede noted, “I wonder what they’re gonna do this time.”  
Tsumugi was curious too. A change in setting, maybe? A change of rules? A new headmaster? The possibilities were endless.  


The TV went black, and then showed the Team Danganronpa logo.  
Kaede started frantically patting Tsumugi’s arm, “Are they gonna announce something? I’m so excited!”  


_Cute._  


Kaede had changed a lot once they started dating. She was full of life, and was more open about everything, like her talent. She started doing recitals and competitions. Overall, she was happier, and that made Tsumugi happy.  


“For the next season, Team Danganronpa is looking for teen writers worthy of recognition. If you think you are the “Super High School Level Writer”, applications will be open sometime this summer! Please stay tuned!” The announcer said, and the screen faded to black.  


Teen writers? Tsumugi liked to write. She wasn’t that good, sure, but she wrote regardless.  


“Tsumugi!” Kaede said, “You should apply! You’d be a great writer for Danganronpa!”  


Tsumugi thought about it. She never took rejection well, and already wasn’t confident in her own work. Would that really be a good idea?  


“I-I’m not too sure about that, Kaede...” she trailed off. Kaede gave her a look.  


“You should! You’re the best writer I know.”  


_Of course you’d say that, Kaede._  


“I’ll think about it,” she said with an unsure smile, causing Kaede to smile in return.  


—  


On the way home, Tsumugi noted the posters plastered on buildings about Danganronpa Auditions.  


_They were looking for actors for the next season already? They work fast._  


She stopped and stared at the poster. _Should I apply for the writing position?_ , she thought to herself. Her writing felt plain. There was nothing special about it at all.  


_It wouldn’t hurt to try...would it? The worst that could happen is rejection…_  


But she didn’t want to be rejected.  


She laid in bed that night, contemplating what she should do. She was plain. She wasn’t that good looking, she was a mediocre writer, and the only good thing she had in her life was Kaede. Writing for Danganronpa would spice up her life a little bit, and maybe give her more of a personality. Maybe, just maybe, she could become someone who was proud of themselves.  


The good seemed to outweigh the bad. Tsumugi decided that she had no choice but to apply.  


“I’ve got to start writing,” she said to herself, “I’m going to be on Team Danganronpa even if it kills me.”  


_Even if it kills me._


	2. Chapter 2

The clicking of keyboard keys was beginning to get to Tsumugi. 

She had been working on this draft for days, only stopping to sleep. Her head was pounding, her fingers were numb, and she was exhausted. But she had to get this done soon.

In reality, she had months to get something worthy out, but she had too many ideas to not write. Besides, she needed someone to beta, needed time to check over it again to see if it was still suitable, needed time to rewrite if necessary. It’s better that she worked herself now to have time to fix it if necessary. 

Tsumugi’s thought process was cut off by her phone vibrating on her desk. The sudden noise caused her to jump. After shouting some swears, she checked her phone and smiled.

♡ **kaede** ♡: Hey! Is it okay if i come over today? :) 

After texting back a confirmation, Tsumugi sighed and looked around her room. It was a mess. Granted, she never really kept her room clean in the first place. Dishes were piled up on her desk, books and sewing supplies scattered across her bed from Tsumugi unsuccessfully teaching herself how to sew, and various pieces of fabric were on the ground from that same failed attempt. She needed to clean, but she also had other obligations. 

She turned back to her computer and saved her document. 

_I’m never going to get finished_ , she thought.

She grabbed the pile of dishes and started cleaning up her room for her girlfriend.

—

“So, this really sweaty kid was arguing with the cashier, and it was so funny! He kept getting worked up over his stupid figures and how they were cheating him on the price. It was a little bit pathetic,” Kaede said. She was sitting on Tsumugi’s bed, watching Tsumugi write.

“I’d honestly do the same thing! Some of these people around here can’t recognize rare or vintage figures and they just give you some measly price,” Tsumugi rambled after turning from her computer, “It’s so annoying. It’s so hard to find rare figures on the internet these days! I don’t blame the guy.”

“You’re so dorky,” Kaede snorted. “I love you.”

_There’s her adorable snort._

“I love you more,” Tsumugi smiled. She turned back around, causing Kaede to stand up and walk over to her. 

“How much do you have?”, she asked, wrapping her arms around Tsumugi’s shoulders. 

“Not nearly enough. This is basically fanfiction for season 35. I’m just rewriting the way everything happened. They didn’t specify that they wanted something original, or the length,” She looked up at Kaede, “But I’m hoping this will work!” She flashed a smile. 

Kaede smiled back and planted a kiss onto her forehead. She moved back over to the bed and laid down.

“Can you take a break?” 

“Of course I can,” Tsumugi said, pushing up her glasses.

She saved her document again, cracked her bony fingers, and went to lay down with Kaede. 

Kaede took Tsumugi’s hand and gently rubbed it.

“Mugi, you should take breaks often. I don’t want your pretty fingers to fall off, y’know?”

Tsumugi chuckled, “I should say the same for you.”

“It’s different for me,” she grumbled.

“I doubt that, honey.”

Kaede huffed and gave Tsumugi’s hand a soft kiss.

The silence was comfortable, the two just enjoying each others presence. Tsumugi then realized how exhausted she was.

_Maybe I should sleep moredie_. The anticipation was killing her. 

It wouldn’t have been that bad if Danganronpa wasn’t the most popular reality show out there at the moment. She probably wouldn’t have much competition then. But, she knew this was a highly coveted spot, and her skills weren’t good enough against other writers. 

When the letter came in, she couldn’t open it herself. 

She stared at the Team Danganronpa stamp in the corner intently. She felt sick.   
She picked up her phone, and dialed Kaede’s number. The first few rings made her anxiety grow stronger. _Please pick up Kaede, please, please, please–_

“Tsumugi? Are you ok?”

After hearing her girlfriend’s voice, her anxiety started to melt away.

“Hi, yes, I’m fine,” Tsumugi sputtered out and gripped the letter tightly, “The letter from Team Danganronpa is here, and I needed support.”

Kaede gasped, “Do you need me to come over?”

“No, no, talking over the phone is fine, it would take you too long to get here. I’m shaking, god, I’m so nervous! I know I didn’t get accepted and I’m just–“

“Hey, shut up.” Kaede interrupted, “Just open the letter. I believe in you.”

Tsumugi gulped and ran her fingers along the top of the envelope, opening it.

“I can’t do this,” she said, pulling the letter out of the envelope.

“Yes, you can! I know you got in, Mugi. You’re an amazing writer. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Tsumugi’s heart was racing, from both her anxiety and the compliment from her girlfriend.

She unfolded the letter, and closed her eyes.

“Kaede, if I die, I leave everything I own to you,” Tsumugi joked.

Kaede giggled in response.

Tsumugi began to scan the letter. All the words were jumbled, until she saw one line.

_Ms. Shirogane, we are pleased to announce that you have been accepted for the writing position on Team Danganronpa._

Tsumugi felt her heart stop for a moment.

“I-I got in… Kaede! I got in!” She screamed at her phone, nearly throwing it in excitement.

“I told you! I told you you’d get in! I’m so proud of you, Tsumugi!”

Tsumugi started crying. Not only was this good for her writing career, it was good for her self esteem, too. Now she wouldn’t be plain Tsumugi Shirogane, she would be someone worth something.

“I love you, Kaede. I love you so much,” she cried out, “Thank you for always believing in me.”

She began to read more of the letter. It was information about orientation, the details of the job, and benefits. Tsumugi hadn’t been this happy since when she first started dating Kaede. 

Everything felt perfect now. 

That night, Tsumugi couldn’t hardly sleep. She was thinking of ideas for the season she would help write. She thought about how she was going to improve the franchise for the better. 

_I’m going to become the best writer for Danganronpa._


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry if this is written weird?? dshnshdhjdnh feel free to comment suggestions or thoughts !! it’s going a little slow i know but it’ll pick up soon please be patient!

“And this is where you’ll be working, Ms. Shirogane,” the Team Danganronpa employee said, gesturing to a room off to the side. 

Tsumugi gazed into the room. The walls were cream colored like the rest of the building with white carpet to match. The room was practically empty, excluding the table in the center of the room. It was lined with chairs and resembled a conference room.  
“Thank you for the tour,” she said politely and gripped her bag strap. 

“No problem! If you’re ever lost or need assistance with anything, let me know,” The woman said with a smile, and turned to leave.

_The people here are so uncharacteristically kind_ , Tsumugi thought.  
She shut the door, muting the outside chatter. The room was dead silent. She walked over to the large window opposite to her, running her fingers over the wall along the way. The wall was cold, and she recoiled a little bit from the touch.

Looking out the window, she admired the view. Clouds were painted on the pale blue sky, sparingly enough that you could still see the sun. The sunlight shined on the trees off in the distance as they swayed in the gentle breeze. Tsumugi softly smiled and pulled her phone out of her pocket. 

She took a few pictures, and sent them all to Kaede. They often exchanged pictures of beautiful sceneries they encountered. Tsumugi just couldn’t see something picturesque and not think of Kaede. She saw her in everything: blooming flowers, purple skies, budding trees. It was all Kaede. 

Tsumugi sighed and put her phone away. She moved away from the window and placed her hands on the table in the center of the room. She gently smoothed one hand across the marble tabletop. After noting how nice the table was, she sat her bag down. 

“I can’t believe this is my office,” Tsumugi mumbled in disbelief. 

She always thought she would pursue a career in writing, but she figured she’d be an author or an assistant to a mangaka. She never imagined she’d be a writer for a popular TV show, much less at the age of 17. Of course, she doesn’t have a very important role, but the fact that she’s here is enough for her. 

She took a look around the room again. It was very plain, but Tsumugi didn’t mind it. She liked plain things. _I’d like to redecorate it a bit, though._

Tsumugi’s thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. 

“Come in,” She said, slightly startled.  
An older, dark haired woman walked in. She was dressed in a black dress shirt and khakis and a black jacket over her shirt. There was a Team Danganronpa pin on the breast pocket of her shirt.

“Hello, Ms. Shirogane,” The woman smiled, “I’m Mrs. Kamukura. I’m the one who selected you for this job.”

Tsumugi bit back a laugh at the name. _Kamukura, like from the second season. Hilarious. That’s probably where they got it from._ Tsumugi outstretched her hand. 

“Hello, Mrs. Kamukura, thank you so much for the opportunity. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Mrs. Kamukura took Tsumugi’s hand, and shook it. “Of course. Your writing was phenomenal. I can tell you’ll have many great ideas for Danganronpa in the future.”

The amount of praise she was receiving from her new boss was putting Tsumugi over the moon. 

“Tomorrow, our character writers will be here to listen to your ideas. I’ve assigned you to the character development team for now,” Mrs. Kamukura explained, “We’ve already picked the 16 students for the 51st season, so you can review their auditions today if you’d like.”

Tsumugi nodded. She was already trembling with excitement. 

“Great!” Mrs. Kamukura exclaimed and turned around to the door, “I’ll bring you the flash drive. Hang tight for a minute,” she said before exiting. 

After the door was shut, Tsumugi frantically pulled out her phone and started texting Kaede. 

**Mugi ♥** : the first day has already been great!! i get to review auditions today !! i’m so excited Kaede!!

**♡ kaede ♡** : Ah, I’m so glad. I love the pictures by the way! Have fun, I can’t wait for you to tell me everything later. I love you! 

**Mugi** ♥: i love you!! talk to you asap ♡ 

**♡ kaede ♡** : ♡

With a smile on her face, Tsumugi put her phone away. She unzipped her bag, pulled out her laptop and laid it down on the marble surface. She also got pen and paper out to take notes on each applicant. By the time her laptop was booted up, her boss returned with the flash drive. 

“Here you go,” Mrs. Kamukura said, handing the small USB to Tsumugi. “Make sure you pay attention to what they’re like. Take into consideration their personality and what they aspire to be. It’s important for developing their in-game personality. Good luck!” Her boss said, and walked out. 

After hearing the door click, Tsumugi fumbled around and eventually got the flash drive into her computer. She was clumsy when she was nervous or excited, and right now, she was both. She opened the file contained on the USB. She decided she would start with the first video, titled #52.

A small girl appeared on the screen. She had an intimidating aura, despite her appearance. She had short, light brown hair and straight bangs that framed her thin face quite well. She was wearing a school uniform that looked similar to Kaede’s. Her face was adorned with red, circular glasses, and she was expressionless. 

_“Number 52, Seo Tanaka,”_ The girl on the screen said into the camera, _“May I start?”_ She asked. 

Tsumugi was intrigued.

After getting confirmation, Seo started speaking. _“I really look up to the characters of Danganronpa. My all-time favorite is Aoi Asahina, one of the survivors of the first season,”_ Seo rambled, _“Her optimism and dedication to honor Sakura after her death really inspires me. Even in the spin-off series, Danganronpa 3, she always motivated Makoto and was there for him. If I was in Danganronpa, I would want to be like her.”_

Seo stopped herself, and tried to think of more to say. _“If I had a talent,”_ She started, a look of confidence on her face, _“I would want to be the Super High School Level Flutist. I can play the flute quite well, and the musician characters tend to be some of the best ones!”_

Tsumugi scribbled down notes. _Flutist, Adoration of musicians, Optimism._  
_“If it were up to me, I’d be a survivor. But I’m willing to do anything to be on the show. Just becoming someone I could be proud of, even if I died first, seems good to me.”_

_Wow, that’s kind of sad,_ Tsumugi thought. Tsumugi wasn’t really proud of herself either, and would like to change herself as much as possible, but hearing someone else say it just sounded sad.  
_“…Thank you for your time.”_ Seo walked out of the audition room. Tsumugi closed the video tab, and took down a few notes.

_She seems like a nice girl. I’d like to meet her_ , Tsumugi mused. She watched the rest of the audition videos, making a separate note for every applicant. They all felt the same in a sense, the person wanting to change things about themselves. _Completely understandable, but why’s it a running theme?_ Maybe that’s why they were chosen. They all had something in common. 

Shortly after finishing, Tsumugi started to gather up her things. She held the flash drive in her hand and stared at it. 

_I wonder if I can keep this for tonight._

After getting everything ready to leave, she turned to the window. The sun was setting, and the sky was shaded a beautiful orange hue. The color had seeped into the cream colored room, tinting the walls orange. Tsumugi smiled. Sunset was Tsumugi’s favorite part of the day. They always made her heart melt because of how beautiful they were. She snapped a few pictures for Kaede and began to leave. 

Tsumugi made her way to her boss’s office, passing by her new coworkers. A few waved, most ignored her. She knocked on Mrs. Kamukura’s door, and listened for the subtle, “come in!” from the other side. Once she had gotten confirmation, she gripped her bag strap tightly and opened the door. 

“Hello, Mrs. Kamukura. Can I ask you something?” Her boss nodded, not looking away from her computer. “Can I keep this flash drive for tonight? I wanted to go over it again before tomorrow,” she asked, “I mean, if I can’t, it’s okay,” she quickly added on. 

Her boss hesitated, and Tsumugi started to panic. 

“Sure, I guess,” She said, causing a wave of relief to wash over Tsumugi, “but make sure you bring it back. It’d be serious trouble if you lost it.”

“Of course! I almost never lose things!” _That was a lie._ “I swear it’s safe with me.”

Her boss chuckled, “Alright then, Ms. Shirogane. Have a nice night, and get some rest. I expect you back at 8:30 tomorrow.”

Tsumugi nodded in thanks, and quickly left the room. 

—

“No way, _Kamukura?_ That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.” Kaede snorted, putting her arm around Tsumugi.

“It’s true! Apparently, Danganronpa is the family business. Kinda weird, isn’t it?” Tsumugi explained, “And the people there are so nice. You’d never guess their day job is sending teenagers to their deaths.”

Tsumugi had invited Kaede over to watch the audition tapes with her. She needed help to make sure she was prepared for tomorrow. 

Kaede chuckled. “Y’know, that’s your day job now too. I can’t believe you get a free pass from school though! I wish I got that.” 

“Well, this is gonna take all my attention for the next few months,” Tsumugi mumbled, “It’s gonna be just as stressful. If not more.”  
They were both silent for a few moments, just enjoying each other’s company. Tsumugi laid her head on Kaede’s shoulder, and softly smiled.  
“It’ll be okay though, especially if I have you.”  
Kaede’s face turned light pink, and she planted a kiss on Tsumugi’s forehead.

“Turn on the audition tapes, Ms. Romeo,” she giggled.

Tsumugi sat up and grabbed her laptop. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the flash drive, promptly inserting it into her computer. 

After pulling up the video file, she remembered something.  
“Oh, wait, Kaede,” Tsumugi started.

Kaede hummed in response, waiting for the question.

“Is there a girl at your school named Seo Tanaka? That’s the girl in the audition tape we’re about to watch,” she questioned, “she’s wearing the same uniform you do, so I figured I would ask.”

Kaede put her finger to her lips to show she was in thought. “Maybe? The name is familiar.” 

Tsumugi sighed. Well, maybe she’ll recognize her. She started to play the video, and Kaede nodded.

“Yeah, she goes to my school. I see her in the hall sometimes. She’s really quiet, doesn’t really have many friends. She’s scary, though. I don’t think she does it on purpose, but she’s really rude. Not that I can talk much, though.” 

_Ah._

“Well, I need to talk to her. It’s so I can write her character.”

Kaede hummed in response again and focused on the video. About halfway through the video, Kaede held Tsumugi’s hand. Tsumugi looked at her, thinking something was wrong.

“What if I tried out for Danganronpa?”  
Kaede questioned and Tsumugi’s heart began to race. 

Tsumugi shook her head, “No, no, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want you to die,” she paused, “it’s better that you don’t.”

Kaede sighed. “I’d be okay.”

“Eh,” Tsumugi shrugged, “they all say that. From what I’ve seen, anyway,”

“Hm,” was all Kaede said. 

After they got through the first video, Tsumugi had more notes written down. 

“I feel like Seo should be the protagonist,” she said.

“I think the optimistic protagonist is overdone,” Kaede added on, “but having someone to fight for like Asahina did would be a good character trait I think. Makes for a good leader, in my opinion.”  
Tsumugi nodded her head in agreement. 

“Maybe you’ll like Number 76 then? His audition tape made him out to be like he had the potential to be a strong leader.”

“Let’s watch it then,” Kaede insisted. 

Tsumugi clicked the file labeled “#76”, and fished for her notes. 

_“…Number 76,”_

—

After watching all 16 videos, Kaede thought it was too late for her to be out on her own, so Tsumugi insisted she stayed with her. The two girls ended up staying the night together. They spent the night cuddling, talking about the future, and about Danganronpa.

Tsumugi wished her life could stay this way for forever.

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! i hope you all enjoy this fic!! feel free to comment thoughts or criticism! also, whenever something is in italics that isn’t supposed to be like emphasized it indicates that that is what Tsumugi is thinking just so there’s no confusion  
> thank you for reading!! i’ll update asap <3


End file.
